True Comfort
by Lola Knight
Summary: One Shot. James Potter has always fancied Lily Evans. Can one bad moment turn into something good?


James Potter was lucky. There was no doubt about that. He was seeker and captain for the Quidditch team. James had three best friends who would drink slow acting poison for him. He was smart and charming. James was definitely as handsome as he was popular. James could have any girl he wanted…all except one that is. Lily Evans was beautiful with her thick auburn hair and green eyes. As soon as his eyes had made contact with her emerald ones, he was bewitched by her. The effect, however, wasn't shared by Lily. She thought of James as arrogant (which he was) and would not be in the company of Mauraders if she could prevent it. Lily didn't hate them she just didn't like them. It didn't help that James couldn't be serious around her or that he would pull pranks in her name. Yes, it seemed that no matter how lucky James was, he could never get the girl.

He sat in Potions, trying to catch her eye as Slughorn praised her potion to the class. Sirius choose that moment to drop a firecracker in James' potion as he was drooling over Lily's smile. At that moment, James' Flower Growing Potion exploded all over the cold dungeon. James put a shielding spell on himself just before a drop hit him. Not all of the class was that lucky. Lily's cheeks flamed as she saw it was James' cauldron. He stooped over and picked a lily off Severus Snape. He met Lily as she made her way over and tucked the Lily's behind her ear. "A lily for a Lily" he said grinning. Lily blushed.

"James, try to control your friends" She said patiently. James' heart hammered within him as he tried to control himself. She never called him by his first name. James' delightedness continued as he noticed that she kept the flower tucked behind her ear as she put away her materials. James ran his hand through his already mess hair. He stepped over a heavily flowered body to put away his own materials as Sirius and Remus waited for him. Peter was going to the hospital wing with Snape and a few others who were also covered in roses, violets, lilies and tulips.

"She told you to behave yourself" James said to a smirking Sirius.

"So, Prongs, I believe that you owe me for my little disturbance." James sighed.

"Don't let it get to your fat head" James said sternly as they walked up the stairs. Sirius whistled and Remus grinned.

"Just don't get too cocky, James" Remus cautioned as James shook him off with a brush of his hand.

"Remus, you don't understand women as well as you think you do" James said cockily as he ruffled his hair. "Lily just doesn't want to admit that she's fallen for my charm and good looks." Remus rolled his eyes as Sirius started checking out some fifth years. "Lily is enamored by me but she doesn't want to be obvious about it." While James continued to make a fool of himself, Lily stood behind the group, her face growing redder by the minute. Remus noticed Lily and looked at her apologetically as Sirius laughed at the situation that his best mare had found himself in. This only helped fuel James on. "I mean she's beautiful and she know that together we could make the most beautiful baby imaginable…"

"Ahem!" Lily said clearing her throat. James turned around slowly, the laughter in his eyes dying as he saw who it was.

"Oh, uh…hi Lils" James stuttered awkwardly. Lily crossed her arms in front of her chest, staring him down. "I was just…"

"Planning our future?" Lily said, her green eyes glinting dangerously.

"Well Moony and I need to go blow up the toilet in the little prefect's room upstairs. Then make sure that Peter is weeded properly" Sirius said looking at the two people in fear. He nodded to Remus, who followed him. The pair remained quiet as Lily continued to stare at a very embarrassed James Potter.

"James, I am an idiot" he looked at her blankly. "I thought that you were actually starting to change from being an arrogant jerk to a pretty decent guy." James tried to interrupt but he was silenced by another glare. "I actually started to consider your pleas to date you." James' eyes widened in surprise by her sudden change of view. "But I refuse to be like a dog like you!"

James twitched as he thought about how wrong Lily was. He wasn't' a dog but a stag. But that small technicality didn't matter if Lily didn't like him. "Lily, I am not a dog! I am a sta…I mean, Lily, would you just listen to me?" He asked her retreating form. She kept walking and he groaned in anguish, cursing under his breath. James wished that Lily could see that his heart was in the right place. He ducked behind a suit of armor to press the button on the armor's heel. He entered the secret passage way and made his way to the Maurader's room. Remus and Sirius were carrying out their plan, he was sure of it while Peter was still getting rid of the garden growing on him. James flopped on his canopy bed, thinking about how he once again blew his chance with Lily.

The more she despised him, the more he loved her. James could see her beautiful face in his head. She had a clear laugh that would be the death of him. He would rather choose death than see her cry. That was one of the reasons Lily didn't have any boys asking her out. All knew that James loved Lily and no one had the courage to go against James' fierce protectiveness of her. James had dreamed and yearned for her kiss that never came. A knock on the door interrupted his wishful thinking. "Who is it?" James asked irritably.

"James?" His breath caught in his throat at the familiar voice.

"Lily?"

"Can I come in?"

"Of course!" James said. The door slowly opened and he say her standing shyly at the door. Lily's stance showed that she was definitely nervous. She entered the room awkwardly as she ignored the mess in the room. "Do you want something to drink? Butterbeer? Pumpkin juice?" Suddenly Lily burst into tears. James looked at her bewildered and was even more bewildered as she ran across the room and threw herself into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her despite his shock and stroked her back.

"Lily, what's wrong?" He asked.

"My dad," Lily said, her voice muffled from tears and his chest "he left my mom." James held her tighter to him. "I loved him, James" Lily sobbed into his chest. "I loved him!"

"I know" James soothed as he rubbed her back. She shivered and quaked as she let out her sorrow. James held her the way he had longed to hold her for so long. After awhile, Lily looked up at him.

"I am sorry for earlier…"

"Forget it," James said tenderly "when did you get the owl?"

"Just now"

"Lily, do you need anything?" James asked as Lily hesitated. "Anything" James assured her.

"Can you hold me just a little longer?" Lily asked shakily as if afraid of his answer.

"Of course" James said, glad to be able to hold her a little bit longer. He stroked her hair as she tried to compose herself.

"I don't know what to do" Lily said. James was pained to hear that a tremor in the voice that he always craved to hear.

"That's allowed," James said "but maybe I can help." Lily looked up at him wearily.

"I am not snogging with you, Potter" Lily said smiling through her tears.

"Not that, though I must admit it would be amazing" James joked. "Let's go" he said as he grabbed her hand.

"What? Where?" Lily asked alarmed.

"Don't worry, Evans. This will help" James said cryptically as they went to the closet. Lilly looked at him bewildered as he opened up the closet and pulled on an old fashioned pull string light. Instead of a light, a staircase was lifted from the floor, going up into the sky.

James led Lily up the stairs and they kept going up until they got to a small room. The room wasn't that impressive. It was warm, Lily noted seeing the fireplace in the corner. The room was covered in furs and old artifacts. She looked at James questioning as he led her out a door she hadn't noticed before. The door led out onto a balcony. She looked at James again. "I go out here whenever I am upset." James said seriously.

"What do you do?" Lily asked curiously.

"I scream" James said. She looked at him questioningly. "I let out all my emotions. It really helps when you're hurting. Go ahead"

"What do I say?"

"Whatever you need to say" James said. Lily was quiet for a moment then started to shout.

"WHY! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO GO! WHY WEREN'T WE ENOUGH FOR YOU! DID YOU EVER CARE? I HATE YOU FOR DOING THIS TO ME! I HATE YOU!" Lily said crying as she yelled at the blanket of stars. James' hand remained in hers as she exhaustedly let out her emotions. She then collapsed on the floor in anguish. James picked her up and they went back inside. Lily snuggled closer to James as he gently put her down on some of the furs in front of the fire.

He conjured up some hot chocolate and they sat there in silence drinking. "Thanks for everything, James" Lily said, breaking the silence.

"No problem though I do have a question." Lily nodded giving him permission to continue. "Why did you come to me?" James asked, finally hoping to have her reveal the answer to the question that he had been pondering since she showed up at his door. She blushed.

"I don't know" She admitted quietly. Lily looked at him. "Because I just needed you" James felt warmer than he had in a long time.

"I am sorry that I was a jerk earlier" James said. "I just like you so much, Lily and I don't know how to tell you or show it to you sometimes so I act like an arrogant ass to make myself look okay."

"It's okay, James" She said. James put his hand to her cheek and stroked her hair with his other hand. Lily let him and looked at him longingly.

"Can I kiss you?" James asked hesitantly. Lily nodded and James leaned in and enclosed his lips over her own. They kissed each other breathlessly and for the first time since Lily had gotten that owl she felt safe…and slowly realized that the reason she came to James was because she loved him.


End file.
